CHE was signed into legislation in 2008 under Public Act No. 08-171, "an Act Establishing a Commission on Health Equity." The purpose of CHE is to affect legislation to improve the health outcomes of residents based on race, ethnicity, gender and linguistic ability. In establishing CHE, the Connecticut General Assembly acknowledges that: (1) equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is a human right and a priority of the state, (2) Connecticut residents experience barriers to the equal enjoyment of good health based on race, ethnicity, national origin and linguistic ability, and (3) that addressing such barriers requires data collection and analysis and the development and implementation of policy solutions.

OUR MISSIONThe Connecticut Commission on Health Equity was established to eliminate disparities in health status based on race, ethnicity, gender and linguistic ability, thereby improving the quality of health for all of the state's residents.

VALUE STATEMENT

The Commission values the richness of culture and language among diverse groups. It believes that to be effective, it must address the social and contextual factors that contribute to an individualís health and well-being. The Commission recognizes that key determinants of health and well-being likely vary across racial, ethnic, cultural and gender groups and given this strives to honor and respect these variations in all relevant commission activities. In pursuit of our mission and vision, CHE has adopted a comprehensive Strategy to achieve our goals.